Ingushetia: a Criminal Case Opened in Connection with Rustam
Aushev’s Abduction
On April 2, 2012 Mineralovodsky investigation department on
transport of the Southern investigation department on transport
under the Investigation Committee of the RF has opened a criminal
case in connection with abduction of Ruslan Aushev, resident of the
Republic of Ingushetia, from a railway station in Mineralniye Vody,
Stavropol Region.
Human Rights Center "Memorial" reported earlier on the abduction of
Rustam Alikhanovich Aushev (born 1988) on February 17, 2012 in
Mineralniye Vody. Just arrived in Mineralniye Vody from Nazran,
Rustam had to change a train to get Brest, Belarus. He was on his
way to Belgium to see his sister, but was caught by unidentified
men, who were allegedly law-enforcement agents, and driven at an
unknown destination
(
http://www.memo.ru/hr/hotpoints/caucas1/msg/2012/02/m278145.htm.)
During the inspection the investigation department found that on
February, 17 at 17:30 Aushev, who was standing on the platform of
Mineralnyie Vody’ railway station, was approached by three
plain-clothed unidentified men. They "brought" him to the police
station located at the intersection of Lenin Str. and 22th
PartSyezda Str., where put him into "Gazel" minibus and then
disappeared.
A. Shushanyan, an investigator, has examined the inspection’s
materials and initiated a criminal case under part 2 of Art. 126
(“Abduction”) of the Russian Criminal Code .
An application regarding Rustam Aushev’s abduction was submitted to
the police by his family on February, 19. On February, 20 Rustam's
wife Asya Albakova appealed for help in defining her husband’s
location to the Prosecutor’s office in Ingushetia, Republican
Security Council and human rights organizations. On March, 6 a
telegram was received in the name of Rustam’s brother Ahmedhan
Aushev, signed by Mr. Kobeev, "senior investigator for cases of
special importance”. A telegram reported that Aushev’s abduction was
committed with assistance of Federal Security Service’ office in
Ingushetia (
http://www.memo.ru/eng/news/2012/03/20/2003122.html).
On March, 29 the representatives of the Federal Security Service’
office in Ingushetia declared their non-involvement in Aushev’s
abduction at a special briefing for republican journalists (for
videotape of the briefing see:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_trlxFPm99w&feature=player_embedded). As
a result of the briefing an official press-release was issued
(
http://www.memo.ru/eng/news/2012/04/05/0504122.html).
As of April 11, 2012, Rustam Aushev’s location was still unknown.
April 16, 2012